Portable incinerator acquired for “safer” destruction of narcotics

Local drug enforcement officers will soon be able to safely dispose of illegal narcotics using a portable incinerator.
The Helios Barrel Burner was acquired by the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (NANA).
This piece of equipment will now enable the law enforcement agencies, namely Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU) and the Narcotics Branch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to dispose of narcotics in a much safer and more environmentally friendly setting.
NANA said that ranks are currently undergoing training on the use of the equipment. It is anticipated that the disposal of narcotics will be done in the very near future using this new piece of equipment.

As it obtains now, drug enforcement officers would destroy any marijuana found by burning it. They usually with regards to cocaine, venture out into the Atlantic Ocean and dump the substance overboard.
Last October, one such disposal exercise out in the high-seas had to be abandoned after some of the CANU ranks became ill. It was reported that after travelling into the Atlantic Ocean, members of the team started to experience nausea, resulting in some vomiting on account of the stench of the illicit drugs.
Upon realising what was happening, the head of the team aborted the mission and ordered that the vessel return to the Coast Guard Wharf at Ruimveldt, Georgetown. This incident has raised concerns with the agency starting to contemplate safer means of disposing the narcotics.
At the time, a total of 318 kilograms of cocaine, carrying a street value of over $300 million, were prepared for disposal. However, the ranks only managed to dump 44 kilograms. The remaining 273 kilograms were returned to CANU headquarters.
The cocaine, which were tendered as evidence in 77 court cases that have been completed, was seized in various raids and operations between November 2013 and January 2017.